R. Doug Wicker — Author

As bazaars (souks in the Arabic world) go, Marrakech’s Souk Laksour isn’t bad, but it’s definitely not my favorite, either. That’s not really fair, but it’s hard to compare with the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. But is it worth a trip into the souk? Most assuredly yes. It’s a fascinating place with many wares ranging from the ubiquitous CCC (Cheap Crap from China) to handcrafted gems such as leather goods, rugs, and brightly colored Turkish-style lamps.

The souk is for the most part cramped and crowded, and you will need to dodge the various deliveries being made throughout the day. Much of the souk is open-air, but parts are covered.

The souk also appears grouped by the type of wares on hand. For instance, rugs are pretty much in one area; leather goods in another, although there are exceptions. Tourist-bait (keychains, snow globes, T-shirts, etc.) vendors are sprinkled throughout.

This tendancy to group like merchandise sometimes leads to some interesting photo opportunites:

We took the opportunity to purchase several items. I got myself a beautifully crafted leather belt, and Ursula picked up a lovely leather purse from the same vendor. We also acquire some leather poufs. I’ll leave you today with these final four souk images:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Ursula’s primary goal this trip was to head over to Jemaa el-Fnaa and the adjacent Souk Laksour, the primary souk (bazaar) in Marrakech. The plaza is about a twelve minute walk from Riad Viva, and closer to twenty when you’re recovering from knee replacement surgery and using a cane, which Ursula was. Along the way, depending upon the route you take, you’ll probably see the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque:

But even if you don’t walk directly by the Koutoubia Mosque, you’ll still see its minaret in the distance as you look southwest past the horse-drawn carriages lined up along Av. Jemaa el-Fnaa:

And, yes, those carriages are both colorful and photogenic:

But horses aren’t the only engines you’ll see at work in this area:

Lining the northwest perimeter of the plaza are many fruit vendors worthy of your camera’s attention:

There are not many subjects that can beat fruit vendors for color:

Especially when the vendor takes so much time and makes so much effort to align his produce in visually interesting patterns:

As you head into the souk, make sure to look up for the scenery:

This week’s Fun Food Friday will be a review of the Riad Viva’s great Moroccan restaurant. On Monday I’ll take you deep into the souk (bazaar). Here’s a sample of what awaits you there:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)